Various drives, such as external drives or self-drives, for weapon systems are known from the prior art. Electrical drives are frequently provided for external drives, and these then, for example, drive a chain. One known chain drive is used in the machine gun known by the name “Bushmaster,” or else “chain gun.” In this case, the times during which the breech has to be stationary for closing it, in order to fire the shot, in order to open the breech and to place a cartridge in front of the breech, are implemented by a revolving chain, which is driven by a motor (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/M242 Bushmaster). In this case, the breech, together with the round or cartridge in front of it, is fed linearly to the cartridge chamber.
DE 10 2006 022 622 A1 describes a linear feed for the round into a weapon barrel or cartridge chamber, which feed has a control guide, which is used for function control, on the horizontal plane parallel to the movement of a breech, which has to be guided linearly, for the breech-loading weapon. This functionally interacts with a so-called “drive guide,” which is likewise located on the horizontal plane, for guiding a means connected to the breech. The drive guide is integrated in a movable slider, which is itself moved by a universally configurable drive. Furthermore, a locking guide is provided for locking the breech, and is preferably integrated in the movable slider together with the drive guide. A bolt on a locking ring, which is preferably arranged on the weapon side, can engage in this locking guide. This bolt then itself moves the locking ring. Within the control guide and the drive guide, which interact with one anther, a connecting rod, or the like, is positively guided by the guides and the slider along these guides. The breech is moved backward and forward by means of this connecting rod.
Building on this, DE 10 2007 048 468.4, which was not published prior to the earliest priority date for the present patent application, considers in more detail a drive for the linear feed of the round into a weapon barrel or cartridge chamber by means of a chain. The chain itself is passed in a simple manner closely around two sprocket wheels. A chain link or a stud on the chain is integrated in a guide or groove that is located underneath the movable slider. This allows the chain to continue to run during the times in which the weapon is stationary, and which are defined by the function control. The chain itself can be driven by an electric motor.
Since, in the case of an external drive, the breech movements take place independently of the gas pressure in the weapon barrel, it is necessary to prevent the breech from being opened in the event of a misfire (i.e., defined in this case when the propellant charge in the cartridge does not burn away after the firing energy has been supplied), or a late fire (i.e., defined in this case as when the propellant charge burns away with a considerable time delay). In general, the gas pressure or the weapon barrel itself is, for this purpose, detected as an indication of correct burn-away. If this information is lacking, a so-called “quick stop” must be initiated, and the opening of the breech must be prevented.
The mass forces during breaking of the external drive, in order to prevent opening, result in high loads in or on the elements of the drive train, particularly, at relatively high firing rates.
DE 10 2007 048 470.6, which was not published prior to the earliest priority date for the present patent application, deals with the problem of a so-called quick stop in externally driven weapons. The quick stop is inserted all the time, and is moved out again when a shot is fired correctly. However, in the event of a misfire, a means, which is functionally connected to the weapon recoil, runs onto the quick stop, the drive movement is stopped, and the breech is not unlocked, at least for a predeterminable time.
DE 30 21 200 C2 discloses a protection system against late firing or subsequent firing. In addition to having a sensor for detection of recoil, the weapon is equipped with a quick stop that can be moved to a position pushed in with respect to the chain part, in order to stop a normally continuously moving chain part, and therefore to stop the movement of the breech. A locking apparatus, which responds to the sensor, controls the movement of the stopping apparatus between the pushed-in position, in which the chain part is stopped, and an extended position, in which the movement of the chain part is otherwise not impeded. The protection system has two elements, which are connected to the chain part, a main element and a safety element, as well as a trigger rod that is controlled by a solenoid, and a recoil push rod. The recoil push rod is used to release a recoil catch bolt when the shot is fired, and the trigger rod is used to move the safety element down when the weapon is locked, and to release it when the round has been correctly fired. In order to subsequently stop the weapon, the trigger rod acts on the main element, since the solenoid is switched off. However, an electrically controlled solenoid, such as this, is particularly undesirable in safety devices of this type because it is itself susceptible to defects. The possibility of the material of the rods fracturing furthermore means that the safety device is not functionally reliable. In addition, the design of the entire unit is very complex.
DE 32 18 550 C2 discloses a blocking device for a machine gun having an externally driven breech drive. In this case, energy that results from the shot firing is used for a shot monitoring device in order to interrupt the external power supply. When a shot is not fired and there is no return movement, this prevents a control stud of the device from being moved out of a pulled-back position to a driving position, while a switching lever is transported by an interrupter stud to a position in which the power supply is continuously restricted. The disadvantage of this solution is, likewise, the high level of design complexity, and the weight associated with this complex design.
DE 10 2007 054 470.9, which was not published before the earliest priority date for the present patent application, deals with a drive for a weapon with a linear round feed, which is distinguished in that the linear feeding of a breech to the weapon barrel, or cartridge chamber, is achieved by means of a linear guide groove in drive kinematics. A driver is guided in the guide groove and is physically connected to the breech. The guide groove is surrounded by a circumferential positive guide (slotted guide), which itself interprets the necessary times during which the breech is stationary during locking, firing, unlocking in its front position and reloading. A further means is guided within the positive guide, as a drive means for the breech. The drive can be transmitted by sliding rollers, gear wheels, or the like, which are driven by a motor, etc. The drive itself continues to run during the times when the weapon is stationary, while the breech is moved out, and back in again later during the times in which it is stationary. A slider is integrated between the drive means and the driver, and releases the driver from the breech. For this purpose, a slider has a slide cam, along which the driver is guided and is raised.
The purpose of the present invention is to specifically describe a drive for feeding the weapon breech to the cartridge chamber, in which the breech is automatically decoupled from the drive, particularly, in the event of a misfire or a late fire.